IDST 1002H Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Global Peace Index, Conflict Resolution, Ak-47
14 Jun 2018
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Lecture 3: Conflict and Development
• Number of serious wars between states has been declining since 1946
• 63 between states, 21 anti-colonial wars, 332 intra-state wars
• Major powers of the world do not fight each other anymore
• Wars now in arc between Nigeria and East Asia
• ⅚ people live in an area largely free of conflict
Armed conflict today is qualitatively different than it has been
• Before 1955, primary object of armed conflict was destruction of the military capacity of
the opponent
• Violent conflict is not interstate but intrastate today
Conflict: state of disharmony between incompatible or antithetical persons, ideas or interests; a
clash
• Diminishes capabilities (ability to make choices is taken away)
• Violates rights
There is correlation between armed conflict and lack of development
1. According to Global Peace Index, cost of conflict in 2014 was $4.3 trillion, other estimate
in 2015 was $742 billion
a. We don’t know the cost of conflict
2. Military spending is only a fraction of cost of conflict but is still a lot of money
3. Some places in United States have extremely high rates of conflict, in terms of murder,
especially against African American males (ex. Baltimore, Chicago)
Are places poor because they are violent, violent because they are poor, or neither?
• Burundi and Burkina Faso
Biggest predictor of conflict is previous conflict
• Economic gap between violent and non-violent countries has been widening
• No poor violent country met MDGs or is on track to meet SDGs
Different types of war and armed conflict in the modern world:
• Cold War (1945-1991)
• Interstate wars
• Revolutionary wars and internationalized internal conflicts
• Intrastate wars for regional independence
• Wars and internal conflicts fought to facilitate the domination of a group over another
• Wars fought by stateless actors
War-Related Death Rate Over Time increased drastically in 20th century
Genocide: deliberate and systematic destruction. . . of an ethical, racial, religious or national
group
• Carried out by ordinary people
• Who do not demand that is stop
• People cannot process the reality of thousands of deaths
• The complicity of developed country governments in many genocides
Explaining conflict in developing countries
1. Liberal perspectives
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Armed conflict today is qualitatively different than it has been: before 1955, primary object of armed conflict was destruction of the military capacity of the opponent, violent conflict is not interstate but intrastate today. Conflict: state of disharmony between incompatible or antithetical persons, ideas or interests; a clash: diminishes capabilities (ability to make choices is taken away, violates rights. Are places poor because they are violent, violent because they are poor, or neither: burundi and burkina faso. Biggest predictor of conflict is previous conflict: economic gap between violent and non-violent countries has been widening, no poor violent country met mdgs or is on track to meet sdgs. Different types of war and armed conflict in the modern world: Interstate wars: cold war (1945-1991, revolutionary wars and internationalized internal conflicts, wars and internal conflicts fought to facilitate the domination of a group over another, wars fought by stateless actors. War-related death rate over time increased drastically in 20th century.
